As long as we've got time
by lizzieBdarcy
Summary: It took him years to rebuild himself after the first set of labs wiped his memory. Now, Logan Howlett has been locked away and The Wolverine is running the show. Having saved him from monstrous labs and continuous torture, Marie and Victor will have to do what may be the impossible: Save the man from himself. SEQUEL TO THE LONG WAY HOME, I OWN NOTHING
1. Chapter 1

_Prologue_

There was only pain and hunger and need.

The animal paced restlessly, fangs bared and leaving behind bloody footprints. Every step stung, each turn of the body stretching raw wounds that weren't allowed to heal. Shivering from the last blast of the firehose, it shook water from its pelt and tried to go about it's routine for sleep.

When the light went away, it was time to rest. It lapped water from a bowl,having initially resisted the liquid for a reason it now couldn't remember. Half starved, the drink helped stave off the worst of its hunger.

After taking a brief moment to be certain it wouldn't be attacked, the animal trotted from the water to it's mess corner, taking a piss that smelt far too much like blood. The injury from the last hunt was still healing then.

This done, it moved onto its bed. Scraps tossed in by it's captors that rubbed at sores trying to heal, the animal patted it down,circled and curled up.

Today had been particularly hard.

The humans had forced it to hunt,put the bulky head thing on and ran it until only the sharpest whips slicing into it's back could get the animal to move. When they threw meat in for its meal, it tore it to pieces, gnashing with its teeth and shredding the protein with its claws. Clamouring for more, pain and hunger in its belly increasing its rage. The captors had laughed,kicked it with their steel toed there was something the humans did not know.

It was smart. It could plan too.

The Wolverine would have it's freedom.

 **Chapter 1: Animal I have become**

" **Little one, we're landing soon. I need to check you over."**

As she finished her stretching against the wall of the room, Victor took a minute to study the young woman. For two and a half months, every second not spent studying school work was studying schematics, studying fighting styles.

He'd run her into the ground, pushed her harder every time they sparred, all but put a loaded gun to her temple (the gun that HAD jabbed at her skull had no magazine in it) and had to admit, had made good progress. Jimmy was missing and The Rogue was out to make people bleed, this was not a time to hold back.

It kept them both sane anyway.

Now Marie D'Ancanto rose, her slender form muscular from his training regiment and scorched whiskey eyes hard like steel. Her long hair had been braided back, no low life grunt would be getting a chance to snatch at loose hair. Slim hands with almost musically long fingers were left bare and deadly. His sister mate had her game face on and Victor approved wholeheartedly.

"Has the professor connected yet?" She asked. Instead of answering, he lunged and she easily sidestepped his surprise attack.

"Yes. He said he believes that Jimmy is being kept on the seventh floor down but something's off. We need to go in quiet." Victor replied, as though he hadn't just nearly shish-kabobed the girl. He braced himself, just in time for Marie to begin her own silent assault.

She began with a roundhouse kick that allowed him to flip her over by her ankle, a response she took in stride. When he dumped her to the ground she was up in a flash, bare hand pressing to his arm. "Touch." Her lips tilted, the word familiar and welcome while they ran through their warm up. The skin to skin contact was all she needed and a warning tingle reminded him she could drain him dry if she wanted.

"Good girl. Stay focused." He reminded,yanking a gun from his belt,finger already on the trigger. Marie dropped immediately, sweeping her leg and knocking his feet out from under him. As he went down she grabbed the gun and kept it trained on him, hand on his chest now.

"Touch." She said again, using their code word. As he'd been training her, Victor had insisted she take note of every opportunity to use her mutation. Touch signaled a chance to drain someone, which meant a quick fight and less risk.

"Don't lose focus. Our priority is Jimmy, nothing else matters right now. If you die, he dies." He warned, the mantra he'd been repeating for weeks. It had given her strength while training, had made her force down swallows of food to keep herself healthy.

"If ah die,he dies. If ah die, he dies." Marie repeated, even when he shoved her arm aside and flipped them over, pinning her down with her hands above her head.

"Distraction makes you sloppy." Victor snarled.

"Yes it does." She replied and smiled. He glanced up, realizing why. With her arms stretched, the wrists he held were left sans fabric.

"Touch."

Satisfied that his packmate was alert and ready, he rose and offered a hand, one she waved off.

"No thanks, ah remember that trick."

He grinned as she stood.

"Not my fault you weren't on the lookout." Marie glared and returned his gun.

"Ah still have bruises from where yah dropped meh!"

Victor shrugged.

"I offered to kiss it better."

"Kiss mah ass Victor Creed."

"That's what I was trying to do!"

Snorting, Marie fixed her braid, secretly thankful for the jokes and teasing. It helped keep away the worst of her nerves, even if smiling felt awkward on her face. There hadn't been many smiles of late.

"Ah don't think Lola would appreciate that." She replied, checking her sleeves.

"Not unless she got to join in." Victor smirked back. Probably picturing she and his mate in some sordid embrace

Marie didn't have an answer for that, but her blush spoke volumes. All they were missing was one of Logan's grunting quips. She bit her lip,tugging at her braid.

"Stop it. We're getting him back today, I can feel it." Victor murmured. Marie swallowed down the lump that rose in her throat. Twenty six attempted retrieval missions already and twenty six times they were let down, coming home without her mate.

"Ah dunno if ah can get through another disappointment Victor." She whispered back. He smoothed her hair, the way he used to do to Jimmy when he was little.

"Hang in there little one. We're gonna bring him home." She blinked rapidly and tried to regain her focus, her certainty. Just because the other times had been busts didn't mean this would. They'd tracked Stryker's companies and hiding spots, flushing each out as soon as they could. The professor used cerebro to track Logan's mental waves pattern, but it was growing more difficult and Stryker never kept him in one spot for long. Victor and Marie had been on every mission. And she would keep going, until they found him or she was dead,whichever came first.

"We're going to touch down in less than five minutes, everybody in your seats please." Storm announced over the intercom. Marie did as told, while Victor did some grumbling and huffing before finally taking a seat and buckling himself in.

When the jet _did_ land though, she was the first one out, with Victor right on her heels.

 _-Somewhere in the compound-_

The two men walked into the holding cell, their gray fatigues armed to the teeth and buzzcuts matching. In the darkened corner was the test subject, who's barely there pulse and slow rising breathes reassured them he was unconscious. The knockout gas had dissipated, leaving a slight chill hanging on the air. The first was a cocky soldier for hire who had a score to settle, the other grizzled and thoroughly disillusioned with the world.

The older one looked to his companion, who had a tranq gun trained and ready to fire at a moment's notice.

"You won't be needing that. Poor Bastard is out cold." He commented. The younger man narrowed his eyes and used the toe of his boot to kick the feral in already badly bruised ribs. The mutant twitched but remain unmoving.

"Can't be too careful. Sonofabitch took a chunk out of my arm last month, he's a crafty one." He grumbled. His scowl deepened when the older man gave him a sharp cuff to the back of the head.

"Your vendetta's are gonna get us canned. Just keep the gun up while I get the new collar on him." When he was satisfied the grunt would do as told, he turned back to his task. The electro shock monitoring collar had been made barbed for maximum torture proficiency, but that didn't stop the mutant from slicing through it every chance he got. He'd managed to cut it off for a third time, and they were tasked with putting a new one on.

Lifting the feral's head by it's shaggy mane of hair, the guard went to wrap the collar around his neck but was caught off guard but the red alert alarms blaring in the hall.

"What in the he-"

The words died in his throat, right alongside his pulse as The Wolverine's claws went clean through his body. The other soldier immediately began to fire tranquilizers, only succeeding in pumping his companion's lifeless body full of darts. The animal charged, still holding the corpse and slashed at the air, removing the head from his body with ease.

Snarling in triumph, it punted the head across the room and was on the move. The loud noises and flashing lights were a painful nuisance to his feral senses, but the animal pressed on and let the annoyance fuel his rage.

More guards came out, with their guns and marching ahead of the same scientists that had hurt him in the first place. The very ones who ran screaming now.

Even as the bullets riddled it's body, Wolverine continued to run. It leapt mid air, catching the first row of soldiers and letting its claws rip through each of them. The next were taken down just as easily, though the feral allowed itself a moment to heal before moving for the scientists.

These few seconds allowed their escape into the elevator but the Wolverine would not be deterred. It tore into the steel, wrenching the doors open and hauling out bodies from inside.

By the time the carriage reached the next floor, the animal was the only thing alive on board.

It pressed on in much the same manner, cutting down bodies and reveling in the blood of its flashing lights were ripped from the ceiling, the alarms slashed at until little more than torn wires were left. When the sixth floor was devoid of life, the animal headed for the next floor, a trail of chaos in it's wake.

When the elevator doors groaned open, it strode forward, on the hunt for more prey and intent on killing anything that walked into it's path. The copper scent of blood stoked it's ire, it's purpose singular and devastating…

Until it smelt _her_.


	2. Chapter 2: Bringing him home

**Chapter 2: Bring him home**

According to intel, the compound was currently only partially staffed with scientists, the rest of the personnel were there for securing the prisoners on site. There were a total of 17 mutants being held captive on the upper levels for testing, though most were not to be kept long term.

The team, consisting of a few others besides the two packmates, were tasked with rescuing the other mutants. Having recognized the futility of trying to direct otherwise, Xavier gave Victor and Marie one directive:

Bring Logan home.

Crouched low and steps light footed, they covered the distance between the jet and the compound with ease. They stopped to reconvene under the cover of brush on the edge of the road leading directly in, considering the fence that hindered their efforts to get inside.

"It looks like we need a code to get do you think you could teleport in and-" Scott began, the rest of his words drowned out by a supply truck rumbling up the path. As it cleared, Victor rose.

"Your way takes too long Summers. Little one, go."

Even as Scott sputtered out protests, Victor and Marie were on the move. Following her pack alpha's lead, she ran up alongside him and took his outstretched hand, letting him toss her up in back. He followed, using his feral agility to leap up beside her. This done, he made his way to the front and promptly punched out the soldier on the passenger side. When the driver turned in horror, Victor hit him too and put his arm up, allowing Marie to duck under and take control of the steering wheel. When he made to run them both through, Marie put a hand on his arm.

"Put em in back. Please?" He snarled, but privately had to admit he was beginning to understand why Jimmy was a pushover. Little one was a master at making big eyes that tugged on his animal to take care of the pack. He hauled the bodies to the back, while Marie got comfy in the driver's seat and the others climbed on. Scott was plainly disturbed and knelt to check pulses.

"Victor! This is strictly a rescue mission, we're not-"

"He didn't kill em Mr. Summers. But we need tah go before anyone at the base gets suspicious about the delay." Marie cut in, driving down the lane. Still glaring, Scott knelt behind one of the boxes, the others following suit. Victor took up position directly behind her.

"Anyone at the gate little one?" He murmured just loud enough for her to hear.

"No, ah think it's just a security clearance badge." She whispered back.

A quick search of the unconscious men later, he came up with a badge clipped to the belt of the driver. She scanned it at the gate, driving through and pulling up to the loading dock.

Scott climbed out of the back, followed by his teammates while Victor and Marie went out the front. A gloved man in a lab coat with some sort of green ooze smeared down the front hurried out from the frosted glass door.

"It's about time, we've been expecting this shipment since- who the hell are you?!"He demanded. Victor offered a fang baring grin in return.

"An additional shipment."

He pounced, taking pleasure in the man's screams of fear while Marie fought off one of the guards attempting to come to the scientist's rescue. The hand to hand combat was swift and brutal, Marie catching a backhand to the cheek that left her temporarily stunned before she was able to get ahold of his stun baton and zap him into drooling oblivion.

The other workers waiting to unload the supplies immediately began to scramble as it became apparent the new arrivals were not the ones expected. Even as Storm used a wind gust to gather them into one corner of the room, someone had already managed to sound the alarms.

"So much for going in quiet. Kurt, can you teleport us into the control room?" Scott asked. Nightcrawler shook his head. "Only places i've been or can see in my mind's eye." He reminded them. Victor snorted. "Seen one mad scientist lab, seen em all! Whatever, I'm going in. Little one!" And in typical Creed nature, barreled directly for the door.

As Victor had said, if you'd seen one lab you'd seen them all. After the first few rescue attempts, Marie found that the most irritating thing was how normal the first few floors could appear. Office cubicles, testing sites, even break rooms might occupy several spaces, a fact that bothered her a great deal.

Had she not been fighting her way down each level, she might have reflected on what this meant. It was hard to view them all as monsters when you were being thrown into things like a fridge full of brown bag lunches and old soy sauce packets.

Then again, as Scott and his team worked to free bruised and bloodied mutants from animalistic holding cells, Marie definitely enjoyed throwing her left hook a little more. Daily training aside, she had no intention of using her skin unless given no other choice. Marie had already decided she wouldn't be adding more voices to the apartment complex going on inside her head if she could help it.

"Little one you still with me?" Victor called out, slashing down guards as they flooded the corridors. "Ah'm- one sec." She kneed a man in the groin and then headbutted him in the face, smirking when he went down in a heap.

Oaky, so maybe it felt more than a little good to hit someone.

"Ah'm here Victor. But ah think this floor is clear."

"No Jimmy?"

She shook her head, trying to ignore the way her heart clenched. They were already on the fourth floor and as she entered each, her first concern was to search for Logan.

"He's not among the others, we double checked. Storm is looking over the people we _did_ find, but they said there may be more on the lower floors." Scott confirmed, coming over to the pair. His visor was hanging off his face from the scuffle, he took a moment to adjust it now as he filled them in.

"Then we keep looking." Marie replied, arms folding in a no nonsense tone. So far, Victor had yet to even pick up a scent for the younger feral. The other team members were still handling the newly freed mutants, making plans to have the group taken up to the surface. Completing their mission.

Just like she would hers.

"Little one is right. Next floor. Xavier tracked him. He's here somewhere." He ordered. She nodded, mouth set in a firm line and followed him further down into the compound without waiting for Scott to catch up. Their footsteps echoing in the empty stairwells, they came in through the door at the end of a floor that looked as though it had been evacuated already. Victor took a cautionary sniff and immediately put his hand up in a fist. Recognizing the silent command to stop, she held her position just behind him and held her breath.

"Brother." He growled. She couldn't see his eyes, but from the way his claws began to elongate she assumed the gold was coming through. And if the Sabretooth was joining the party-

"Wait, yah said… he's here?!" She made to push forward, squeaking when the hard muscles of his arm smacked into her chest.

"Victor what-"

"Something doesn't smell right, his scent is off. Stay close to us little sister."

Inching forward, he opened the door and scanned the area for any movement while Marie scooted past him. She would keep him in eyesight, but this was the closest they'd gotten and she wasn't about to wait in the wings.

But gone were the neat little rows of cubicles, the pencil pushers and meeting rooms put there for appearances. Stryker had left his mark on this floor.

Down the long hall, with the buzz of fluorescent lights in the background, was a wall of surgical bays. Floor to ceiling windows showed the inside of three separate units, at the ready for a patient. Two were pristine and white, lemon pinesol not quite covering the stinging scent of antiseptic. Each contained a slab masquerading as a hospital bed, one with thick leather straps and the other solid bars across the bottom and top where the chest and feet would lay. Both rooms held vital monitors and trays with surgical instruments laid out at the ready.

The third room was decidedly different, full of monitors and with an upright, man sized ebony tube in it's center. Metal bars to hold its patron down jut out from the sides. Dangling just above the monstrous black contraption was what looked like a helmet, with wires hanging that probably connected intravenously.

By the look of the flashing monitors and the door of the tube still open, someone had been prepping for an experiment just before the siege of the compound began. Marie could only imagine what horrors the little room had seen and it made her sick to her stomach. What if they'd put Logan in the chamber? What had it done to him?

She paused beside a desk chair, hoping to settle her sudden wave of nerves. Images of all the possible torture her love may have endured were flashing too quickly and she pressed her palms flat against her temples, trying to stop them from overwhelming her.

In such a state, she was easily knocked down onto her back. A screech of alarm managed to escape her before a heavy hand was covering her throat, eager to choke the life out of her. Victor was racing to her aid but the hand was too strong, it would snap her neck before he got within ten feet.


	3. Chapter 3:Where does this piece go again

**Chapter 3: Where does this piece go again?**

Her training, which at the time seemed overbearing, now rose to the front of her mind as easily as breathing. She grabbed at the wrist of her attacker, turning her skin on and immediately regretting it.

 **MATE.**

Marie couldn't breathe for the pain. The world was suddenly 100 times louder, brighter, every bone in her body felt like it was simultaneously on fire and drowning. She felt rage, fear, betrayal.. Marie could see it now, through his eyes.

They had tricked him like this before, shown his Marie-Mate only for it to be a lie. Always, he failed her, always she was lost to them because he couldn't tell what was real and what was not. He had to kill the fake Marie, had to! She might have been lost in the onslaught, were it not for that one thought they both now clung to.

 **MATE.**

She stopped struggling, gasping for air when he loosened his hold. Above her, the large body was nude,covered in various bodily fluids and both the hair on the crown of his head and surrounding his jaws looked like fur. Gold irises met her own, the thoughts still screaming in her head were all animal.

"Wolvie?" She whispered. The feral narrowed his eyes,sniffing at her wrists and the crooks of her elbows where her scent would be the strongest. They couldn't fake that. His tongue skimmed over the faded mark they had branded her with, months earlier. It was very nearly gone.

"Brother… we have come to bring you home." Victor rumbled above them. When she tried to look up, Wolverine snarled and pushed her head back down.

She had wanted all of him. Now, she had it.

The older man kept a respectful distance, head high and teeth baring when Wolverine growled at him.

"Your mate is frightened. Let her up." He ordered. Wolverine snarled again, hunkering down further. Letting her hand inch upward, Marie touched his cheek and fought the urge to cower when he snapped at her. Swallowing, she repeated the action and let out a slow breath when he glared down at her.

"Wolvie.. it's meh. Yah Marie-mate. Ah'm here. It's really meh sugah."

The animal watched her, once again sniffing her over. Wrists, elbows, crotch,knees. She lay still,eyes filling for her mate. What had he gone through, what had they _done_?

He frowned, then let out a whine when her tears began to spill down her cheeks. He was filthy and broken, but _alive_ and she didn't even know if she could hug-

His claws went back in and he curled his body around her, nudging her face against him and grooming her hairline to soothe. Marie let out a huff of laughter that ended in a sob, holding tight for fear of waking up and finding this all a dream. Knowing that in such a state, The Wolverine would have left no one standing, Sabretooth let them have a quiet moment before stepping closer.

"Sister.. get up now, move slowly. The runt won't hurt you but don't try to run and don't make any sudden movements."

Sniffing, she did as told while The Wolverine kept her pressed against him. Almost as soon as they rose,he stiffened and snarled.

"What? What is-"

Marie caught movement out of the corner of her eye and instinctively threw herself between it and her mate. She felt a hard pinch in her side and looked down,glaring at the tranquilizer dart sticking out of her flesh before scowling at her teacher.

"Ah want an A in yah class until ah graduate." She informed Scott and promptly passed out.

Confused at her sudden loss of consciousness and knowing only that someone had shot his mate, The Wolverine charged. Even blasts from Scott's visor did little as a deterrent, just barely buying him enough time to shoot the feral full of tranquilizers. When he finally dropped, Scott noticed the glint in Victor's eyes and wondered if he'd have time to reload before his throat got torn out.

"It's safer this way." He snapped, trying hard to stand tall. Victor picked his sister up, carrying her over to where Wolverine lay out cold and placed them beside one another. After checking both of their pulses, he circled Scott making sure to invade Summer's personal space as much as possible.

"This time, perhaps. Next time, do yourself a favor and keep your guns away from my pack. Sedatives or otherwise." He crooned.

Only _he_ got to shoot Jimmy.

 **Marie was cotton mouthed and groggy when she came to, but that didn't stop her from taking a swing at whoever currently had their hands in her hair.**

"Easy sweetie, it's just me!" Lola cried, ducking what would have been a sharp right hook. Marie fell back against the pillows,instantly apologetic.

"Lola! Ah'm so sorry, ah- where am ah? Where's Logan and Victor? Why is it so bright in here? Can ah-" She coughed, her dry throat interrupting her ramblings and gratefully accepted the cup of ice water her pack mate offered.

"You're in the medical bay of the school, you've been out for about a day. The doctor says whatever tranquilizers were used on the mission were too much for someone your size. You're gonna be nauseous for awhile and you need to take it easy." Lola warned,removing the cup to keep her from gulping the water down.

"Small sips." She added.

"Ah feel like ah'm dyin of thirst, give meh the damn cup!" Marie barked, before groaning. "Ah'm sorry Lola, ah took in some of Logan-" Lola waved her off.

"Victor warned me to expect as much. And it's no wonder you're thirsty then, with Jimmy being as dehydrated as he is-"

"He's - it's bad? What else is wrong with him? Ah wanna see him!"

Lola shook her head, bringing the straw to her lips yet again.

"I don't know if you should be getting out of bed-"

"Lola-"

"Lemme get the doctor, he can-"

"Lola _please._ Ah need tah be with mah mate."

The young woman sighed, before rising and leaving for a brief moment. She returned with a wheelchair and helped Marie sit up from the bed, easing her into the new transportation.

"I'll take you to him. But you're going to get some rest, hear me?" She nodded obediently and with a push they were on their way. In no time at all, they arrived at Logan's room. Soothing gray walls and the gentle hum of the monitors seemed at odds with the broken shell lying in the hospital bed. They'd cleaned off the worst of the muck, but it was apparent his healing factor was sluggish. His ribs, left bicep and thigh were all wrapped in clean bandages, and an oxygen mask covered the bottom half of his face. Sitting behind his head was the Professor, long fingers on the feral's temples and eyes closed tight.

Legs like jello and stumbling all the way, Marie wobbled towards her beloved's bedside.

"Logan-"

"Little one what the he-"

"Miss Rogue!"

Brow furrowed and towering over her, Dr. McCoy shook his head, still checking the vitals of his patient before stepping over and putting her back in the wheelchair.

"Ah wanted tah see-"

"I know and I understand." Hank cut her off, looking as though he _did_ understand her worry and immediate need. "But you've been unconscious for nearly twenty four hours and besides that have had a very big shock. I intend to keep you overnight for observation and-"

"Please Doctor. Ah'll stay, ah'll do whatever tests yah want just tell meh he's okay." She begged.

"That's still to be determined my dear." A soothing english voice chimed in.

The professor rolled himself out from behind the bed, Dr. McCoy making room for his chair. Marie swallowed back a wave of nausea, trying not to let her anxiety overwhelm her.

"Still to be.. Why?"

He sighed, looking at Logan and then back at Marie.

"I've spent the better part of a day probing his mind, as Victor told us what occurred during the mission. His more feral behavior, his lack of recognition towards the other team members. And while I was careful to leave alone certain parts for his privacy's sake.. I don't need to tell you, he's not himself. His mind.. It's been broken Rogue. The pieces are all there, but they're just fragments that have come undone." He explained.

She was vaguely aware of a soft hissing noise, a sort of pained squeak tapering off the end of it and it took a few minutes to recognize it as choked gasps coming from her chest. She'd begun to hyperventilate and even the feel of Victor and Lola surrounding her in tight hugs wasn't enough to make it stop. Struggling to break free she shoved at their arms, clawing her way to Logan's bed and crumpling against him, heaving sobs wracking her body.

Xavier slowly rolled over to Marie and glanced at the others.

"I'd like a minute alone with Rogue please." Victor raised an eyebrow but nodded at Lola, who gave her hand a squeeze and stepped out with Creed trailing behind. Hank did one more check on the I.V. before following the couple and leaving the trio alone.

For a time, there was only the sound of her tears and the steady beep of monitors. For nearly three months she'd been so focused on finding her mate, getting to him and finding him _alive_ and now..

"The pieces are still there Rogue." The professor quietly reassured her. Lip trembling, she looked up. Slowly, he began to rub circles on her back, a warm fatherly hand quelling the worst of her fear.

"He isn't himself. And he _is_ damaged. But you've all the parts to make him whole once more. It's like a recipe, you see? All these separate components that can come together and make a wonderful dish." He murmured. She sniffed and accepted the tissue he offered.

"But.. but ah don't know how. Ah don't know him like this."

Charles smiled sympathetically.

"Forgive me, but I politely disagree. A person your age, having a crush or even a first love.. It's incredibly common. But you and Logan?" He shook his head, squeezing her shoulder. "That is another level entirely. You may be unfamiliar with the twists and turns of his feral. But not entirely. You know these parts of him, just not very well. Logan is still somewhere inside. Right now, this is the feral part of your mate, that is the animal I sense. And while it's frightening.. Victor told me. He knows you, he knew you, almost immediately."

She blew her nose once more, tossing the tissue away and clutching Logan's hand in hers. Maybe he was right.. She knew Wolvie. He'd just been let off his leash, that's all. She'd also known this wouldn't be easy, her goals would have to shift now. She'd found him. Now what was she going to do about it?

"If he wakes up in here, he might be afraid." She fretted.

"I've already spoken with Dr. McCoy, he'll move you into here so that you might be near if Logan wakes." Charles smiled. On impulse, she hugged him tight, sans gloves and trying not to care she was probably getting snot on her headmaster's suit jacket. Evidently he didn't mind, because after a pause he returned her hug.

"Thank yah Professor."

" I have every confidence that at your core, and his.. You always will find a way back to one another."


	4. Chapter 4: Blow this popsicle stand

**CHAPTER 4: Blow this popsicle stand**

While bolstered by her conversation with the Professor, Marie still had plenty of concerns. After Hank proclaimed her in relatively good health (or at least free of any lingering effects) and made her swear to rest, she made herself at home in Logan's room.

Dr. McCoy had already done a full check on Logan, he and his team sanitizing the parts they could reach, but remained uncertain as to when the feral would wake. His best guess was that Logan's healing factor was running at full speed overtime now that it finally had the resources to keep the body running. And healing was significantly easier with the feral unconscious.

However, while Logan's body rested and healed itself, Marie's own was a bit of a wreck. She'd indeed been left throwing up the rest of the tranquilizer in her system, and was awake for hours on end. In spite of this (and with a great deal of help on Lola's end) Victor had finally agreed to go home and shower, get some food in him and the like.

Marie had sworn up and down she could handle watching his brother. And the bits she'd taken in from Logan at the compound went a long way towards keeping her going, but even that had it's limits.

Eventually, her eyes had simply refused to stay open any longer and she'd nodded off,clutching Logan's clawed hand in her own.

The peace would not last long, as she'd barely begun to dream when she was yanked out of her sleep by a roar that shook every bit of glass in the room.

Wild eyed and thrashing, The Wolverine had returned to the world of the living with a bang. Even strapped down for his own safety, Marie narrowly missing getting her fingers sliced off as she shoved back in alarm.

"Mate.. MATE!" Snarling and kicking, the feral struggled to break free, setting every monitor off in the room. When the bars held, his body arched and then slammed back down against the bed, the wheels cracking under the weight.

"Sugah stop, yah gonna hurt yahself, please!" Marie begged, trying to get close enough to soothe him. If anything, his noting her presence only seemed to increase his distress. Efforts to escape the bed and tubes and things were renewed with vigor and he smacked his head back onto the bed once more.

"Wolvie stop it, yah have tah listen tah meh! Ah can get yah free, but yah have tah stop. Please. _Please_ sugah." Beneath the oxygen mask, he snarled. Inching forward, she reached out with slow and cautious fingers. Maybe if his face wasn't covered then-

"Rogue don't!"

She whirled around, meeting Hank's concerned eyes. Orderlies in blue hospital scrubs flanked him, already moving in.

"Dr. McCoy he just woke up, ah think he's just scared -" She began. He held up a hand, careful not to look directly into The Wolverine's face as he entered. Trying his best not to appear challenging. "I agree entirely. But we need to let him orient himself slowly. I need you to step out into the hall please, just for a moment I promise. You fellows as well." He added to the orderlies. They did as told, but Marie wasn't so sure.

The feral in the bed was watching them,muscles tense and teeth bared beneath the mask. But he'd stopped moving for some reason…

"He may be going into shock, I need to see to him. Please Miss Rogue, I won't be more than five minutes, you have my word." The gentle blue furred genius pleaded. Marie hesitated.

"Make it three." She murmured. He nodded.

"Three. I'll watch the clock." McCoy promised. While she slowly nodded her assent, she had yet to move and he sighed sympathetically.

"Three minutes, like you asked." He reminded, a large hand on her back gently but firmly guiding her to the door.

Big mistake.

The perceived threat to his mate was exactly the push the animal needed. With a fierce roar that had patients at the end of the hall covering their ears, he ripped the restraints out of the bed, shaking them off like an annoyance. Terrified he'd been hurt somehow, Marie tried to get back into him, only to be held off by the medical staff.

"Let meh go, he needs meh! Logan! Wolverine! It's okay, don't fight them, it's okay!" She yelled, still struggling to get to his side.

The I.V. lines were next, followed by the mask. The monitors screeched in alarm, silenced only when he chucked them out into the hall.

"Wolverine, we are not your enemies. You're back at the school, you're safe here." Hank tried to explain. The feral's answer was to try and throw the bed at him.

"Wolverine, listen to me. Try and remember! We- unngh!" By some miracle, he avoided being skewered. Instead, the doctor was flung into a wall, the shelf and a painting crashing down on top of him. At this point, Marie had managed to shake off the ones holding her back and making it to the doorway,gaping at the destruction of the room.

"Wolvie, what have yah done?" She demanded. Ignoring her ire, he grabbed her hand and hauled her out into the hall.

"Wolverine we can't - yah have tah STAY yah still not-" She yelped when he threw her over his shoulder, evidently not moving fast enough. Two half dead orderlies later, they were on the move.

 **With his mate on his back, it took precious seconds to get to the higher floors.** He charged out as soon as the doors opened, keeping one arm securely around his mate's waist and intent on getting out.

People dove out of the way as he got to the main floors, screaming students hurting his ears and only serving to confuse him further.

"Wolverine, put meh down! We- eep!" He leapt over a small kit toddling through, narrowly missing the adult holding its paw and ran until the sun shone bright on his face and the building was behind them. Finally he _did_ set Marie down, growling out one word.

" _Run_."

Stumbling along beside him, he kept her hand in his, urging her on. Wolverine wasn't certain where he was heading, only that he needed to get them somewhere safe. Now that they were were finally free of whatever that place had been, they could disappear into nature. He would find them a den, space for kits and cubs to run and grow. He just had to keep them moving.

"Wolf ah can't… ah need a break.." Marie panted behind him. Snarling, his hand tightened. They _couldn't_ stop, not until they'd gotten clear of the grounds. He could still smell all the different scents-

"At least tell meh where we're going!" She insisted. He ignored her, inhaling again. Their scents were near, old and faint but close all the same. He followed his nose the rest of the way there,inhaling deeply until he found their den.

"We- did we just _run_ to the fuc-" Marie, wheezing and doubled over, let out another squeak when her mate picked her up,hugging her to his chest protectively. Giving her a brief nuzzle, he stepped forward,feral senses on high.

The only scents in the area were stale, barely there on the breeze and reassuringly their own. The house was close, it's deep eaves offering scores of shade and the large sloping roof calling to mind the Japanese style of building.

Nestled in amongst the trees and with a large porch that begged for oversized wicker furniture and a porch swing, it was exactly the den he was looking for. Still, even with the human transport in the drive he couldn't be certain it was entirely safe.

He set down his little mate, tucked at the base of a large tree and snuggled in the tall grass, hidden away safe and warm.

"Wolvie where are yah Going? Please don't leave, stay with meh -" She begged, clinging to his arm. There was a snarl, rising up in his chest, eyes still scanning the horizon. But her small warm hand on his forearm and the whimper in her throat was enough to make him turn.

"Wolvie.. Ah'm- ah can't be away from yah just yet. Ah want yah close for awhile." She admitted in a hoarse whisper, shame lacing her scent. His words weren't coming, there was too much of the animal in his throat to voice any comfort. But then, this was his mate and words were unnecessary. Instead, he pulled her back up to her feet, hugging her into his side as they moved towards the house.


	5. Chapter 5: Bathtime prt 1

**Hi guys! So sorry for the long wait, I don't have steady access to a computer like I usually do, so updating isn't as easy as it used to be. HOWEVER I still can see all your reviews and thoughts and impressions, so tell me what our favorite ferals are going to face next on the road to recovery. Kisses!**

 **Chapter 5: Bathtime prt. 1**

He did a quick sweep of the house before letting her settle in, then went to check the perimeters. Which Marie assumed meant clawing things and peeing on trees but decided to focus on getting herself back in order.

Patting her pockets down, she let out a cry of triumph when she found what she was looking for. Pulling out the cell phone she dialed and tapped her foot impatiently. She didn't have to wait long.

"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!" Victor roared on the other end. Marie had figured he'd do as much and had kept the phone away from her ear. The confirmation that she was right almost made her laugh.

"He's alright Victor. He took us tah the house. He's okay." She promised.

"The hou- your den? The Den he was building?" He demanded. She nodded, forgetting he couldn't see her.

"Ran us right to it. He's checking the perimeter now."

"And he's alright? Is he bleeding? McCoy told me he ripped out the I.V. lines, the place is in shambles-"

"Ah'm gonna look him over when he comes back in. He's okay Victor."

He was fell silent, which was generally not a good thing since quiet could mean one of two things: Either he was scheming something bloody and borderline psychotic, or he'd let you live for future torture and amusement. Then again, he could just be thinking of how long it would take to haul them back to the medbay…

"What about you little one?" He murmured. Two months of looking for Logan together still didn't keep her from nearly dropping the phone in surprise. He was concerned about her?

"Ah'm fah-"

"Did he hurt you? He didn't mean to, he would never harm you intentionally."

Something burned in her gut, her chest aching. A hole that would need perhaps just as much time healing as Logan did.

"Ah know." She whispered back.

"You're playing by feral rules now little one. Whole different ballgame." He warned.

"If ah die he dies."

Again, he was quiet. She could hear Scott yelling in the background, Lola murmuring something to her Mate and an alarm still going off somewhere.

"I could come get him."

She swallowed. He wouldn't come out and say it, Victor would probably never show that much softness outright. But if he was offering to retrieve Wolverine, then he was worried. And a worried Victor Creed made for a terrifying situation at best.

 _I'm not real good at talkin Darlin'._

"Little one? Did you hear me?"

 _Ah want yah both. All of yah Logan Howlett, every bit. The man and the feral._

"Ah- ah heard yah.."

 _Gonna take a lot of patience._

"Do you want me to come and bring him back?"

 _You sure you want this?_

Marie knew what he was asking. Was it too much? Did she know now what she'd gotten into? He was giving her an out, letting her have space before the mark on her throat was refreshed and giving her a choice. But really, there _was_ no choice. It had been made for her that first night at Logan's side in the truck.

"It smells nicer out here." Was her answer. He chuckled,a warm and rough sound that was similar enough to Logan's she could have cried.

"I'll let them know to give you two some space and try to check in soon."

"Don't let them hurt him Victor."

"I'd like to see them try."

Marie couldn't help it, she began to sniffle. He sighed.

"What are you wearing?"

"Ah thought we were past innuendos." She groaned. He snorted.

"Don't flatter yourself. He's gonna want to scent mark and possibly fuck you so I'd suggest you're not wearing anything you don't want shredded." Was his blunt reply.

"Victor-"

"Don't cave too easy but you need to submit. He might be rough, you're his alpha female so handle it. And-"

The front door opened, signaling Wolverine's return.

"Ah have tah go, he's come back."

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Was his cheerful reminder before hanging up. She groaned. Some advice, the range of things Victor _would_ do knew very little bounds. Marie set the phone down, trying to smile away the nerves she knew would run through her scent as he came in. Chin high, he stalked through the door and trotted to her side, rubbing his chin over her hair.

 **He's scent marking you kid.**

 _You need to smell like us again._

"All set?" She asked. His head cocked to one side,watching her lips. "We're safe?" She prodded. He seemed to recognise the word, and nuzzled her again.

"So…." She drifted off.

 **So?**

 _So.._ Her mental boys chimed in.

When he was fully himself, words weren't always needed. They could go for ages in comfortable silence. But the script was different here and she hadn't been given a full copy.

"Come on, lemme get yah clean and fed. Yah probably exhausted." She reached for him, trying to ignore the stab of hurt when he snarled and backed away.

"Wolvie. Ah'm yah Marie Mate, ah won't hurt yah." She told him firmly, hands outstretched and moving closer. He growled, but let her approach. Carefully, she let her palm rest on his bare chest, then rubbed his arm in slow circles. He purred at the petting,rubbing against her in return.

"Good Wolvie. See? Ah won't hurt yah. Just wanna help yah sugah. That's all. Ah love yah, member?" Continuing her cooing, she led him up the stairs to their master bath. It took a couple tries to untangle herself from his affectionate nuzzling, but eventually Marie managed to get to the shower.

She'd already figured he would hate the bath, even before he'd been taken he took strictly showers to cleanse himself. Something to do with his past and what had been done to him. She'd seen his nightmares, the times she'd taken in more than a glancing blow. It was enough to make her sick, and leave a lingering discomfort while in tubs herself. Thankfully, that would eventually wear off for her but Logan didn't share the same good fortune.

With this in mind and not wanting to spook the relatively docile feral, she ran the water in the walk in shower, testing the warmth until she was certain he would be comfortable. This done, she returned to his side once more.

"Okay, we're just gonna have a shower now. Ah'll help yah wash, alright?" Again, she kept her voice low and gentle, pressing forward to help him out of the tattered remains of his hospital gown. Evidently the idea of getting naked pleased him, because with a growl of approval he tossed the shredded garment aside and immediately started tugging on her clothes.

"Hold yah horses cowboy, gimme a second." Giggling at his scowl she kissed his nose and took her things off,doing some scowling of her own when he grew impatient and cut away her undergarments with a quick snkkt of his claws.

"Soon as yah feelin better, we're buyin meh new ones. Ah liked that bra." She shook a finger at her mate, fighting back a smile when he licked it in apology and resumed attempting to kiss the living daylights out of her.

"No wolvie. First we get clean. Then yah can get meh dirty again." She gave him a peck, grinning at the calculation running across his face. She had no doubt their shower wouldn't be long. To be entirely honest, she was looking forward to being with him just as much if not more. Distracted by the memories of being under him, she turned on the water…

And instantly regretted it.


	6. Chapter 6: Bathtime prt 2

Chapter 6: Bathtime prt. 2

With he and his mate safely in their den and the land checked over, The Wolverine could relax some. They were away from the beeping machines and the sick smells and hidden away.

His strength wasn't fully back yet, but there was food and a sleeping nest here. Enough so that he could heal without his mate having to go and hunt on her own. His little mate was tiny, but strong and had obviously been through their den while he was outside. When he returned, she came into his arms and did her best to purr when he scent marked her.

Marie-Mate had good instincts, even if she wasn't entirely feral. He would reclaim her when the sun went down, so that she would have no doubts. It had been so bright out..

She said something. Her mouth moved, noises came out. She was.. talking?

"blah blah blah safe?" Of course he would keep her safe! Poor little mate, their escape must have left her shaken. She was still so young. He rubbed against her as a means of comfort, thinking it best they go to their nest now and sleep. He would feed her once they had been able to rest.

"Blah blah blah blah clean, blah blah blah you blah." She moved to grab him, a little too fast for his liking and he backed up, snarling out an order to stop. He still wasn't entirely sure whether this was a dream or not. Marie-Mate froze, then took a cautious step forward.

"Wolvie. Marie-mate. Won't hurt." There she was, firm but kind and making no sudden movements. When she began to pet him, it was almost a relief. He'd missed her touch more than anything. Whether they were mating or not, she was always a comfort when she was close like this.

His nose full of her scent and enjoying her gentle touches, he let her lead him to their nest. Crooning and careful, she led him to the waterfall and began to remove his furs.

Finally! He would take her, mark her once more and all would be set right. Then he could put kits in her belly and have brother rejoin them. They would make a strong pack…

Except she was taking far too long. He cut away her furs, huffing a sigh when his little mate was left irritated by his help. He gave her a lick of apology, before returning to the task at hand.

A naked mate was the best mate after all.

She laughed and he considered nosing at her side to make her do it again while she fussed with the waterfall. It was a large space, that echoed and felt cool beneath his feet. Perhaps they would clean themselves and then he could take her here-

No. Not here.

The spray of water that shot out was exactly like the hose his captors had used, the rush of water hot and unforgiving. He threw his mate to the floor behind him, giving her a chance to run and let his claws out, intent on removing the threat as far away as possible.

"Wolvie! No! Ow-" Mate was shouting, had the captors found them?! Now she was making whimpering noises, they must have injured her. He roared to frighten the threats off, bound and determined to keep her safe.

No one would take him, not ever again.

"Wolvie.. wolverine!" He was so upset and she wasn't even entirely sure what had set him off. Trying to pull on her "borrowed" powers she attempted a soothing purr and rose, ignoring her now sore bottom and rubbing against him.

Still suspicious, he scanned the bathroom,hugging her to his side and refusing to let go. When he could see that they truly were safe, he buried his nose in her neck,shaking around her.

"It's alright. Ah'm here Wolvie. Yah mate is here." She rubbed his neck,petting him and keeping her voice in a low croon, a little angry and protective herself. She would find the people responsible and kill them with every borrowed mutation in her arsenal.

In the meantime, they still needed to get clean. Staying close and letting him keep hold of her, she changed the spray setting to rain, putting it overhead and turning off the side showerheads. She sent a thank you to her mental Logan for insisting on such a luxurious thing as a rain shower head.

Kinda just wanted to get you naked darlin.

The human is right,naked is good.

She chuckled to herself,smiling at the purr of pleasure the real Wolverine made at the sound.

"Come on sugah, it's nice and warm for us." She soaped a loofah, tenderly running it over his body and beginning to wash her mate. Pleased,he arched into her hand and nuzzled at her, tugging her down onto the shower floor with him.

"Yah know, ah'm beginning tah think yah have ulterior motives here." She told him, scrubbing down his shoulders.

"Pretty mate. Good mate." He purred back, letting her do as she pleased.

"Charmer."

He hadn't been this happy in a long time. His sweet little mate, grooming and caring for him, snarling at any threat to their safety.

She was small but he loved every inch of her and was enjoying their grooming. She used the wash ball on his body, careful with still sore spots and scratching lightly at his scalp to get his fur clean. The water was warm, a rain shower indoors! Yipping happily, he shook the water from his pelt, splashing his mate and purring when she laughed. He loved the sounds she made when she was happy,. She smelt light and clean, and he licked away the droplets from her skin, screwing up his face at the lingering soap on his tongue.

She giggled, surrendering the wash ball at his insistent tugs and held out her arms. He brushed it over her, the way she had for him and when she sighed in content he did it again. He repeated the action, swiping at her skin and licking at different spots when the wash ball couldn't seem to get the job done. Gradually her laughter softened into whimpers, her fingers began to dance over his neck and back.

Satisfied that the sick smell was off them both, he rubbed against her, gently nudging and herding her out of the rain. She stopped it from pouring (another marvel, little mate was so talented and special) and then put a fur on his head,rubbing at his pelt. He chuffed, allowing it only because she was making the noises again that he didn't understand. This done she used the fur on his body, rubbing until he was dry and doing the same for herself.

Pride welled up in his chest, he had chosen well. An alpha female who was loving and caring, grooming her alpha before herself. She followed him too, moving when he herded her and easily settling back into their nest of furs. It was time to remark his female.

Marie giggled as his nose snuffed at her body and he rubbed himself against her. Finally completely clean she could see the changes left behind by the experience, at least the physical ones.

For one thing, he looked like a sheep dog with a beard. His already thick and dark hair with the long sideburns had grown until it was near shoulder length, clinging to the back of his neck and golden eyes shone through what hung down. Said eyes were watching her intently now.

She shivered under his gaze arching when his tongue replaced his nose, following the curves of her body and large hands touching what his mouth had yet to. His muscled arms flexed briefly when he yanked her to his lips, and a squeak of surprise dropped to a moan when he lapped at her core.

As it turned out, The Wolverine was fine as hell and intent on devouring her to boot.

What he lacked in finesse, he made up for in pure enthusiasm. His tongue dove between her nether lips, hungrily searching out what made her whine and gasp. Whereas Logan often took his time to build her up, Wolverine had no intention of waiting. She watched him inhale once, twice and then let out a growl that sent vibrations through every sensitive part of her body.

Even as she wailed out a climax, there was no let up. He was hungry for his mate and was going to feast. The onslaught continued, he pushed her thighs further apart to eat her as deeply as he could.

"Sugah- ah… oh god…" Her mouth was riding the tongue deep inside her, hips rising and falling and he growled again in warning when she tried to put his hands where she wanted them.

We're runnin the show darlin.

We are alpha. We will pleasure mate.

It was too much and not enough. She cried out when he tore his mouth from her and bit into her thigh, lapping away the sting and then doing it to her hips in turn. A sharp nip, a soothing press of the tongue and the pattern continued up her body, leaving the imprint of his teeth behind. When he got to her breasts he bit down, sucking at the soft flesh and she actually keened. Surprised at herself, she pressed a hand to his chest.

"Wolvie! Ah- no. No." He paused, recognizing the way her hands pushed at him even if he didn't understand the thinking behind it. She blushed as he stared down at her.

"It's not- ah'm sorry. Ah'm sorry, ah love yah. It's just- we don't.. Ah mean.." She didn't want to hurt his feelings and she didn't want him to stop. Which was the problem. Who knows what he'd been through, she wasn't supposed to encourage more pain and roughness was she? This was getting out of hand, he was still healing and she was being selfish-

"Its.. yah need time sugah. Ah think- what are yah doin? Wolvie, it's okay, ah can wait we don't have tah- oh fuck."

She wasn't sure if he understand her hesitancy. Probably he'd smelt her shame and uncertainty. Whatever it was, something made him go completely wild.

In one hard thrust he was inside her body and riding her like there was no tomorrow. His teeth were back at her chest, biting and sucking until her nipples were hard and her hands gripped his hair. In the heat of the moment, she gave it a sharp tug and the blend of pain and pleasure only seemed to spur him on.

He pulled out, hard and at attention and flipped her over. The scratch of the blankets beneath their bodies only made her nipples pebble once more and Marie spread her legs,searching out for the friction she had lost.

"Wolverine- yes! Oh.. more.. more.." She panted, whining as he probed at her backside, his tongue between her legs and then moving further downward."Wait, what are yah- Oh!" His response was to use her own wetness as a lubricant, the head of his erection pressing forward. She tried to turn and see, they hadn't been together like this before, he couldn't be about to do what she thought he was about to do.

"Mate."


	7. Chapter 7: A different kind of intimacy

**Little Darcy's I'm so sorry for the wait. You might have noticed I haven't been very consistent with updates for my other fics either, I've been trying to work on a manuscript that I'd like to get published someday. There have also been some personal hurts cutting at me, I've been trying to get a handle on that. So there's just been a lot of things going on at once. But thank you to those who have been checking back and clamoring for more, you guys keep me going! I'm hoping to build up a store of chapters to hopefully update you all sooner.**

 **CHAPTER SEVEN: A different kind of intimacy**

The Wolverine was poised to fill her from behind, his teeth already pressing into her nape and his body over hers, rough hands hungry for the feel of her. His claws were beginning to edge out, scraping her hips as he held her firm with her ass up in the air on all fours and he showed no intentions of slowing.

She was anxious. It had been so long and while she'd always been more than good enough for Logan, Wolverine was different. He was all feeling, all instinct. Would she be enough to satisfy him? Should she be this eager to find out?

"Marie- Mate. MINE." His fingers were between her legs again, massaging and stroking inside her and when she whimpered he growled with pleasure.

"Ah- Oh Sugah..." Her hand was reaching behind, fingers tangled up in his hair and tugging. She would match him, rough stroke for rough stroke and the Rogue would come through -

He hissed.

In pain. He was hissing in pain, she felt him wince and her fingers came away wet with his blood.

"Wolvie!" Quick as a wink she was up, all amorous thoughts dried up and her heart racing for different reasons entirely. His reply was a pitiful whine, shaking his head to fight off the irritation.

"Yah hurt, oh ah hurt yah, yah hurt!" He snarled, teeth snapping at her when she reached for him and she had to fight back tears. He whimpered in distress, shifting and rolling his neck, she had to help him, what had she done?

"Wolvie, please. Yah have tah let meh see what's wrong. Please." Arms outstretched and hand still stained with his blood - his precious, precious life force - she inched over. He snarled again, snapped halfheartedly. Marie was still his mate, and she had to trust that this bond would get through to him if nothing else would.

To her great relief, his snarls died to little more than soft growls and then she was close enough to turn his head, cups his face in her hands.

"Ah'm so sorry Wolvie, please let meh see. Let meh see.." The lump in her throat was painful enough to choke but she swallowed past it and tried to focus. There was a still healing spot in his hair, it looked as though he'd either hit his head at some point or been struck. But there had also been raw patches on either side of his temples so it was possible he'd been subjected to one of the helmets they'd seen in that awful lab.

The blood was drying, she must have just pulled at the wrong spot. She'd been so distracted by her own pleasure she'd given into her own animal instincts. Not only was the mood completely ruined, but he was also now eyeing her with open suspicion.

"Wolvie? Ah'm gonna get yah all cleaned up now okay? Let's just wrap yah head. Ah have to get some bandages, can yah wait here please?" Careful not to move too suddenly, she rose still facing him and walked backward until she bumped into the bathroom door.

Touch was something Marie craved and when it came from Logan it was an addiction. In the months that he'd been missing from her life, she'd been sorely deprived. Despite multiple cuddle sessions with Lola and even several hugs and attempts at tongue baths from Victor, she missed the little things.

The simple intimacy of holding hands, of the little kiss he gave her forehead before she was off for the day. She missed being hugged from behind and the nuzzle to her neck when he was sleepy. She'd been just as hungry for him as was for her, not even sex so much as being joined together. Having the reassurance that he was there, in the flesh and not a dream she would wake up from like she had been doing the last few months.

Fighting back her own anxiety, she hurried to pull a shirt over her head once inside. It came to her knees, one of Logan's flannels and it bunched under her when she knelt down to grab the emergency kit from under the sink.

"Mate...?" He sounded lost and wounded and the pieces of her heart still sewing themselves together fractured again. How could she have been so careless, so selfish?!

"Ah'm coming Wolvie!" Hastily wiping away the tears trying to force their way out, she rushed back out to where he was still sitting in front of the fire. He watched her rummage in the kit, hands shaking as she pulled out wipes and bandages and stayed surprisingly still when she began to patch him up.

"Ah'm sorry Wolvie. Ah shoulda known better than tah go so far. It was thoughtless and selfish and careless of meh... it's not what a good mate should be doing." She told him. The air seemed to leave the room, her chest heaved even while she tried to keep it together and focus on helping her mate to heal. He'd fought to be here, to get home to her. She was one hundred percent positive of that.

His head cocked to the side, he pressed his nose to her palm when she tried to wrap his temples, licking it when she struggled not to give in to the urge to cry.

"No, No. Ah'm supposed tah be comforting yah, not the other way around. Yah went through heaven knows what and they stole yah away from meh. They hurt yah so bad and when yah finally come home, ah jump yah bones. Ah don't give yah anytime tah heal, ah even hurt yah and-" She couldn't help it, the guilt and the anxiety and a host of other emotions were crushing. She put her face to his chest, weeping in a storm that threatened to sweep her away.

"Ah'm so sorry sugah. Ah'm so, so sor-"

"No."

The rumble of his voice went through her, the only reason she knew her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. Her head snapped up and he was there, still with the gold swirling but there was a moment. A single moment when she saw them both. Man and animal.

"Sugah-"

"NO." He repeated, hands on her face. He licked away the tears, nuzzling, and curling around her body, lips brushing over her own cheeks to wipe away the trail they'd left behind. "No." He murmured, a little softer, purring soothingly. The tears very nearly started anew but she understood what he was trying to do.

"Ah'm sor-" She began but he gave a little growl and rubbed against her.

"No." He said again. He gave her another lick and then brought her hands to his chest, just over his heart. His nose touched hers, they pressed their foreheads together and he purred again,eyes closed.

"Mate..." He let out a little breath, body sagging slightly. He was so weary, it was etched in the press of his body to hers, in the slow and steady beat of his heart. But he was there, somewhere in his mind Logan was there and The Wolverine's voice was there.

 _Marie-Mate we don't need your apologies and we hate your tears. Please stop blaming yourself._ The mental Wolverine purred in her mind.

 **We're still here darlin. It'll take time but you can bring our voice back. We know you. Mental** Logan chimed in.

Slowly she nodded and gave the real man a kiss, stroking his hair and drawing him down in the blankets with an attempt at a purr of her own.

"Ah guess we both need some time tah adjust. But ah won't give up. Ah'm gonna be raght here tah help yah heal somehow sugah." She promised. He licked her nose in response and the last of her tears were able to dry away.

"We should get some sleep now. Try tah rest, ah'll keep watch for yah." His eyes flicked to the door and he crawled over her to the other side keeping her safely tucked away just in case.

"Goodnight." She whispered. His response was to push his nose into her hair.

 **Half an hour later, they were both still awake.** He'd shifted, been tossing and turning and most noises made him growl and pace. Try as she might to calm him, it was plain neither would be sleeping soon.

"Wolverine. Come lie down. Please?" He was just in front of the door, peering out into the hall and growling low in his throat. He spared a glance back in her direction, noting her outstretched hand and came back to the pile of blankets. Throwing himself down he pulled her in with an irritated huff.

"It's alright. Ah'm here." She rubbed his back, letting him inhale her scent and trying to think of someting to say to fill the silence, lull him into sleep.

"Yah know... there were a few nights when ah almost wasn't sure this would ever happen again. Getting tah be held by yah like this." She admitted. His lips moved against her hair and she took that as a sign to continue.

"Ah nevah gave up hope yah were fighting tah come home. Ah knew yah'd fight until yah dyin breath. But ah was so afraid that- that yah already had given that up." She swallowed, held him closer. "Every night, ah slept in one of yah shirts. Used yah soap so ah could smell yah on meh. And ah went on every single mission there was tah try and find yah." She took in his scent now, kissed the place where she'd marked him so many months ago.

"Ah would have searched for forevah. Nevah woulda stopped sugah. But ah was terrified it would always be exactly that - searching. Wondering. Waiting fah yah tah come home." She kissed his heart, voice soft and eyes closed, almost afraid to open them.

"Ah'll always wait fah yah Logan. And ah won't evah leave yah Wolverine. Yah both have mah heart. Always and forevah." A soft snore forced her to do what she'd been avoiding and pull back, finding her mate fast asleep.

And not more than a few minutes later, she was sleeping just as deeply.


	8. Chapter 8: Midnight madness

**Hello little Darcy's, back again with this chapter. I know it's been forever and believe me when I say the guilt has been eating at me. But work has opened up some free time for me to bury my nose in my writing, and my head is in a clearer place to actually do it. So here's to building up chapters and everybody who's stuck around! Also, I know I have no right to make requests but if you would respond to the question at the end that would be nice.**

 **CHAPTER 8: MIDNIGHT MADNESS**

 _His hands and feet were strapped down, leather cutting into raw skin. The metal bars across his chest, stomach, thighs, and calves held him fast, try as he might break free. The metal was cold against his feverish skin, and he shuddered in a cold sweat._

" _Boy that Mary of yours must be something special." One of the guards piped up while the techs prepped for their next round of testing._

" _Mary- what the fuck are you talking about?!" He would get out of this. He WOULD._

" _The one you keep mumbling about every time you go under. Mary or Marie or Murray or something. She a good lay pretty boy?" The guard sneered._

 **He knows about our mate, you've given them clues to our mate!**

I wouldn't, I would never put Marie in danger-

 **Don't even think it, don't say shit until we're free. You want them to go looking for her?!**

 _A fresh cold sweat coated his body, both for his healing working overtime to fight off infections and in fear. It was bad enough he was stuck in here but he could take it, he would survive until chuck and the do-gooders came for him. Marie was innocent, she didn't have enough of his healing trait taken in to survive what they would do to her-_

" _Maybe when they're done playing with you I'll see if I can get them to draw me a map of what they find. I'll go get your girl and see what all the fuss is about." The guard grinned and it was the last thing he saw before the needle put him back under._

 **He sat up from the nightmare, shaking and claws trying to edge out.** Memories plagued him, fear and worry making him look down at his mate. Something had left The Wolverine on edge and he wasn't sure what was causing it.

But he was damned well going to find out.

Mate was still asleep in the furs, breathing deep and even. He pressed his ear to her heart, letting the steady thump reassure him that this was no dream. He'd killed his captors, and gotten them away from all the sick smells in the noisy building he'd risen in. They were in their den, safe.

This was what he wanted to believe. But something was scratching outside, a faint repetitive sawing that said otherwise.

Sliding out with care, the animal nuzzled his mate, purring soothingly when she stirred. As soon as his female was seen to he rose and slunk out, creeping down the stairs and to the locked and latched front door.

There was a moment's debate. If there _was_ a threat, then he was leaving mate behind unprotected. But little mate was strong, it was one of the reasons he'd known she was theirs-

 _No. Not theirs anymore. His._

He shook his head, irritated at that insistent nudging in his skull, the growl of frustration not his own welling up. It took a moment to wrestle back the reins, but then the _human_ was in no condition to put up a fight.

The annoyance settled his quandary, he was in the mood to sink his claws into something. The would-be intruder stood no chance.

Making certain the door stood solid and latched behind him he crouched down, sniffed at the dirt. Nothing close on the perimeters of the place. Keeping low, he ran on silent feet along the length of the house and out into the woods nearby. It was there, just at the edge of the trees that he caught it.

 _Brother?_

It was his alpha's scent alright, dark and deep, cold like a blizzard with scotch on the end of it. But this was his territory, there was no reason for the Alpha to come unseen unless there was a problem.

 _Or if it's not really him._

There was that possibility too, one he considered as he followed his nose deep within the foliage. Could this be another test from his captors? They'd done this before. Faked a scent and ran him ragged, right in circles looking for a pack that was never there. But he'd gotten away, hadn't he? This was no dream, he'd been with his little mate just minutes earlier. No matter what they did, they couldn't fake the essence of her scent, or the insanity lacing Brother's scent. Scents didn't lie.

"About time you showed up runt. That stint in the lab made you slow." Victor's golden eyes beckoned from between the trees and Wolverine slowed, trotting to the clearing he was in.

"What, no hello? No hug and kiss? I'm hurt Runt." Sabretooth purred. He ignored his teasing and kept back, wary.

"I don't bite. M'not here to kill you either, we're done with that shit. Get your ass over here already Jimmy." He ordered. The younger feral bared his teeth in reply. He wasn't the human and they both knew it. Which meant Brother was toying with him, not a good sign.

Sabretooth sighed heavily, a tall canvas backpack strapped to his back that he set aside in the grass. The moonlight overhead was bright, plenty to see by and it showed Wolverine that his alpha was clad only in simple thin furs. Nowhere to hide weapons, not that either of them needed a gun or knife to defend themselves. But it was a vote of confidence and one point in his Alpha's favor.

"I'm here to talk... Check in on you and our little sister. The human mentioned there might be things she needs that she doesn't have right now, did you think of that?" Wolverine snarled and Sabretooth bared his fangs.

"Mind your manners runt. Don't you forget who's Alpha here. Now sit." He gestured towards a spot in front of him, taking a seat in the grass himself and looking up at the sky, inhaling deeply.

Trees surrounded them, which could act as cover if he needed it. They were in the open, so there could be no sneak attacks.

Even so, he crouched down low in a squat, keeping a close eye on his sibling.

"We've brought some things for you and sister Runt. Food, things for her bleeding time-" Sabretooth began explaining again, pulling items out of his bag. When the younger brother's reply was only an angry growl, he looked up once more.

"Where are your words brother? No protests about me taking better care of your mate than you do?" He smirked.

"OUR MATE." He insisted, forgetting himself for a moment.

"Maybe you should act like it then." He continued. "Has she had food? Rest? Little sister, she's really tiny. We've always said she's too small to satisfy." Sabretooth snickered, unbothered by Wolverine's steady growls, the way his teeth drew back and snapped. "But then, you never minded her being small. Small since we met her and you dying to shove your cock up her-"

" _OURS._ " He let his claws out, charging forward and was just as quickly slammed down by a meaty arm and a heavy foot to the chest.

Sabretooth gave him a cool once over, unimpressed by his teeth and the slice of his claws, even when he shredded one of brother's furs. When he struggled to rise, the boot in his chest dug down a little harder.

"You come here vulnerable. No furs to cover you, runt. No voice to call for help." He sighed and kicked him away, sitting while Wolverine rose with his claws again.

"Where is your human?" The sudden question gave him pause, cutting through the temper. "Ours wishes to speak with you."

Again, that hard nudging in his skull, fading too quickly to cause more than discomfort. He winced all the same and Brother frowned.

"Let him help with your words Runt, we'll wait."

He couldn't be sure this wasn't a trick.

Only his little Marie-mate was real.

Only mate was safe.

"Runt… what did the humans do to you?" He leaned down, sniffed at his neck. "You don't smell like there's something blocking your throat. Try and say something to us."

He growled and Sabretooth's paw shot out, cuffing him in the back of the head.

"Try again asshole." He demanded.

"Asshole." He shot back. Sabretooth snorted, smacking him in the head again and settling back, gently scooping something out of the bag he'd brought.

"So your voice works but your words don't. Fine. Try this. Better put those claws back" And he hurled a calico ball at him. There was a loud mrowl, he yanked his claws back just in time to catch the young cat who rubbed against him with a loud purr and a hiss in Sabretooth's direction.

"Pollack." He wasn't sure where the word had come from. He shouldn't have shown he knew the small cat, brother could be cruel just for the hell of it and would have no issue harming the animal. Unless he was still stuck in that lab and they were playing with his mind, that meant he'd given them more information-

"Right, little sister's pet. You remember." Sabretooth nodded in approval and nudged the bag towards him. "Like we said. Food, bleeding things. Medicine. Little sister isn't one of our kind-" He held up his own clawed paw, snapping his teeth in warning.

"Stop with your posturing runt and hear us. Little sister has different needs and you've been gone a long time. You need to make sure she's okay and get yourself healthy." He eyed the younger feral's body, shaking his head at what he saw.

Healing being what it was, the feral's wounds had finally closed now that he had most of his strength back. That being said, his large body was gaunt, his hair clean but thick and untamed.

"Listen to us, Runt. You need to heal and love your mate and to do both of those, you need to look after yourself." Sabretooth frowned. "We don't know why your human won't come out but you have to communicate with the little sister, it's better for you both that way."

Wolverine narrowed his eyes, pet Pollack and said nothing.

"We mean this. If you won't try, then we'll have to come to talk with you again. That would make sister worry. Is that what you want?"

Aha, so there it was. Sabretooth would come "talk". Using his mate as a ploy… something his captors would do. Perhaps they already knew about her, if the human had let something else slip.

Which meant he and Pollack needed to leave, right now.

"No." He managed because being agreeable would put his captors at ease.

"Good. Take the bag and get some food in you. We'll try to come again soon." He rose, nodding at him and disappeared into the night. When Wolverine was certain he could no longer smell him, he headed back to the den, Pollack on his shoulder. A quick run through of the items in the bag reassured him that it was safe and he filed away this new information for later.

He would need to learn more before he could be certain, but it looked like the Captors were up to their old tricks again.

 **SOOOOOOOOO it looks like Wolvie doesn't know WHAT to trust. What do we think of the update? Also, which new fic would you most like to see:**

 **A) A sequel to Look what the stork dropped in with Evie growing up and Victor falling in love,**

 **B) A ROGAN fic, where Marie is older and instead of pining makes Logan work for a relationship or,**

 **C) A ROGAN fic where things are not so one-sided. In this one, Marie and Logan would be testing limits and fears, teaching one another and falling hard in the process.**

 **Review and let me know!**


	9. Chapter 9: SPEAK

**Sorry, this update was a little late, I was debating on where to end it since the writing ended up being way too long. As such this chapter is a little shorter than usual. Also, it looks like option B: With Logan trying to start something is in the lead! Keep the opinions coming guys, the option with the most votes will win out!**

 **CHAPTER 9: SPEAK**

"Wolverine if ah have tah tell yah one more time tah put that thing away-" Marie growled warningly. The feral huffed but tucked himself back into the sweats she'd managed to get on him. It was the third time since they'd gotten up he'd tried getting something going but she was a woman on a mission.

A good night's sleep had brought on fresh clarity and a new attitude for Marie. Her mate was not going to get better with wishing and hoping, he would stay stuck in this predicament as long as she let herself wallow. She was going to have to take this thing by the horns and face it head-on.

Starting with getting their den in order, if Wolverine would let go of her long enough.

"Now ah already told yah. Ah wanna get our den nice and tidy for us. Yah let meh do that, ah'll let yah get me dirty all over again" She smiled, cupping his face. The contact left him purring, and she indulged them both with a scratch behind the ears. "Of course ah don't actually know if you understanding anything ah'm saying but we'll work on that too. If ah can figure out why yah not talking…" She sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. How she was going to get him to talk to McCoy to figure it out-

"I can talk." He shrugged.

Her eyes about fell out of her head they were bugging so widely. She shot up from the table, ignoring the way the room spun when she stood too quickly.

"Yah-... ah just... Wolvie?" Her caution was almost comical and he slanted her with a toothy grin.

"Yeah?"

She was not some old time southern belle prone to fanning herself when she got the vapors. It was just a little surprise-

The bigger surprise was actually how long she remained standing before she did crumble.

 **Something wet and warm was lapping at her cheek when Marie came to, and she found herself back in their room nestled under the furs once more.**

"Ah'm okay, ah'm awake-ooh mah head" She pressed a hand to her temple, smiling when Wolverine licked her cheek again and propped her up against several pillows. "Ah didn't worry yah did ah? Ah just thought ah heard yah talking and ah guess it gave me a bad turn. Probably stood up too fast." She sighed, head aching and reaching for her mate. The Wolverine was happy to be of help and cuddled her close, tucking her in against him.

"Ah'm okay sugah. Promise." She muttered. Cleaning could wait.

"Good. Wanna fuck now?" He murmured back.

She scrambled away, glaring and he groaned, flopping back onto the pillows.

"Yah _did_ talk, ah knew ah heard yah! Have yah been able tah talk this whole _time_?! What was with the grunts and growls, why didn't yah tell meh-"

He pressed a firm finger to her lips, accompanied by a snarl.

"Talkin too fast. Too many damn questions." She scowled back but stayed quiet, allowing him to lift his hand away. "Good. Try again."

"Why didn't yah tell meh if yah were okay or not?!" Was her first demand. The entire time she'd been so worried about communication and getting through to him and-

"Needed to know you were safe."

She bit her lip, looking around at their den. "Course ah am, ah'm right here with yah sugah. There's no place safer." He shook his head, still looking about him and tugged her into his lap.

"You're real." He murmured in her ear, nibbling at her lobe. The caress was cause for temporary distraction but not enough. She leaned back, frowning and small hand cupping his jaw.

"Sugah yah worryin meh. Are yah afraid ah'm not really here?" He hesitated and her eyes widened.

"It is what you're afraid of, isn't it? That none of this is real?"

He grunted, hugging her close to him and nose in her hair.

"The Marie they made me see, she never said no. Could have her whenever we wanted, do whatever we liked to her. She never told us no." He muttered. "They could see you in our head. Couldn't say anything. Had to keep you safe."

"Oh sugah…" She hugged him tightly, covering him in kisses. "Ah'm real. Ah'm here, yah can talk tah meh. Yah must have been so afraid, so worried." She went to kiss him again and he stopped her, gripping her chin and staring into her eyes.

"Swear you're real." He growled. Marie blinked, trying to pull back but his fingers were a vice.

"Wolvie ah could say anything, how would that prove-"

"Swear on something only we know." He demanded.

"Ah…" She licked her lips and thought a long moment. "Do yah remember, that car wash we came up on, around the time we stayed at the house with the apple trees? That was the first time ah think ah really saw yah. Yah looked so- so _hungry_. Ah wanted yah tah kiss meh and ah thought maybe ah just wanted tah crawl raght through the window and grab yah for mahself-"

His lips found hers and he tipped her onto her back, letting his tongue take her mouth. She let out a soft whimper, arms wrapping around his neck in encouragement for more but he held back, smirking down at her.

"On something else. Keep talking."

"When yah gave meh yah tags, for mah birthday- Mmm…" She sighed as he trailed his fangs down her neck, sucking softly at the sensitive skin, fingers already making their way up her shirt.

"More." He ordered and she was happy to oblige, to arch up into his hand. A soft mewl escaped her lips and another answered it, on that caught her attention even more than her mate.

"Pollack?!" Marie shifted, scooting up and peering down at his side where the meowing was coming from. The little calico cat chirped back the third meow, running forward into her mistress's waiting arms.

"Marie-" Wolverine began but it was a lost cause, she was practically purring alongside the cat.

"Pollack ah missed yah so much, did yah miss mama? Yes, yah did, yes yah did, who's mama's sweet girl?" She cooed covering the young cat in kisses. Pollack purred loudly, rubbing back against her in exactly the way Wolverine had intended to. "But how on earth did yah get here?" She looked up, stricken. "Yah didn't escape did yah? Sugah where'd yah find her?"

"Brother brought her to us-"

"Victor was here?" At her start, he moved to cuddle her but she didn't smell afraid. More... hopeful? That couldn't be right. "When did he come by? Was Lola with him? Are they here now?"

"He was here only for a short while." He promised her. "He has his own den and this is our territory Marie, he doesn't need to stay long." Now she smelt disappointed and that really left him confused. "You want him to come here?"

"Wolvie he's our pack."She scolded gently, scratching behind Pollack's ears. "We could at least give him breakfast."

Another warning bell sounded in his head. Marie and his brother had never gotten along particularly well, why would she now willingly invite him into their den?

"I think the cat is tired, should let her sleep." He reminded her, already scheming to put the animal on the couch and lock the bedroom door firmly behind them. Brother had been there when he was found, perhaps they had struck a deal for his return. That would make sense. And his Marie mate only ever wanted the best for him, of course, she would try to make peace with the pack alpha.

"Yah right, and hungry too ah bet. C'mon kitty, mama's gonna make yah something yummy and then yah get a nice nap-" Evidentally his young mate had plans of her own, as she rose with her pet still hugged up against her chest and began to move to the door.

"Marie-"

"Oh!" She turned and for one moment he still had hope. "Would yah look in the closet please wolvie? I think there's a spare blanket we can use as a bed for her." Request made, she headed out, with Pollack purring loudly against her cheek and staring back at him.

He wasn't entirely certain, but there was a nagging feeling again prodding him. This was not the first time the cat had managed to steal mate away. He would have to win her back from the small animal, but there was plenty he could give her that the pet could not. As he grumbled and grunted to himself, already heading for the closet he tried to offer himself a small comfort.

There were no cat cockblockers when his captors had him. Another point for this being the real thing. He didn't like this unsettling feeling, being lost even when he was supposed to finally home. He was mate's alpha, he would provide her happiness and home. Trying to ignore his discomfort, he tossed the blanket for Pollack aside and headed downstairs.

He would show his mate she didn't need anyone but him.


	10. Chapter 10: Shake on it

**CHAPTER 10: Shake on it**

The revelation that Wolverine could talk was equal parts comforting and troubling. She could communicate a little easier with the feral, though Marie just as quickly determined she would need to take things with a grain of salt.

As she fed Pollack a can of fancy feast from the bag Wolverine had shown her, (she would need to thank Victor at some point for his cat sitting skills) Marie tried to come up with some sort of plan for what was to come.

The Wolverine wasn't stupid as some believed him to be, nor was he all caveman grunts and hard-headed demands. If anything, he was openly intelligent, something Logan had always done his best to hide. Really, everything about him was an open book. When he wanted sex, he made his intents clear without hesitation and hungry every time. When she was upset, he didn't always have the words but he was quick to soothe, to rock and comfort until she was well again.

If he was hungry, they needed to eat. When he was tired, he slept and nightmares pissed him off instead of causing him to withdraw. All this, she had come to know before he'd been taken.

Now, there was only one topic they had yet to touch on. If Wolverine was out and running the show, where was Logan? He'd always taken the lead, and now there wasn't so much as a glimpse of his eyes. Her mate's gaze had been golden since they'd rescued him.

Marie worried at her lip, filling a small bowl with water while she tried to gather her thoughts. The pair had always shared the body, Logan had once told her a little bit about how it worked.

-Flashback-

" _S'like how you have your voices cooped up inside here." He tapped his temple and she thought about this while her feet dangled over the side of the truck bed. They were in the back of the pick-up, had stopped for dinner and were now eating pieces of pie on an old dead end road, star gazing._

" _Yah said yah let him out for fights." She reminded him._

" _Fights, fucking on occasion. We got enough shit in our head, he's the one who puts up the walls for us. But he knows I'm in the driver's seat, it's better that way. Don't your people talk too?"_

 _She'd shrugged and tried another bite of pie, wondering if she was imagining the way his eyes watched her mouth every now and then._

" _Ah put em away. Only keep yah out, and Wolvie. Yah both are always trying tah help meh." She smiled and watched him smile at the night sky. So many stars and just the two of them to take it all in._

" _Nothin we wouldn't do for you kid." He promised, meeting her eyes suddenly. Her heart picked up speed. "He and I, we don't always get along so well. S'like when a voice gets too loud and gives you a headache, you can't think straight right?"_

 _Marie nodded. "Ah just wanna curl away in the back of mah head."_

" _It's sort of the same way with us. One of us is always watching the other when they're out but sometimes we're pushed down to be quiet. Usually, I keep him down since he tends to wanna pull stupid shit but sometimes he does the same to me when he thinks he knows better."_

" _How come yah can't just work together?"_

 _Logan had scowled than. It was a long moment of watching the stars and wondering if she'd gone too far before he answered;_

" _It's never worked like that kid. Because if one of us goes too far, the other might not come back. And I'm not trying to find out who would win that contest."_

She was snapped out of her memory by insistent little headbutts from Pollack, who charged for her water bowl as soon as Marie put it down.

"Is that what happened Lo? Yah lost?" She wondered aloud. Of course, there was no response from him. But then, there was no reply from Wolverine either. He'd been awfully quiet, maybe he was sulking because she'd left him in their room? Leaving behind Pollack to drink her water, Marie jogged upstairs.

"Wolvie? Wolverine ah wanna ask yah something." Their bedroom was empty though, the blanket she'd requested for Pollack hastily tossed aside. "Wolverine? Sugah where are yah?" There was no sign of him in the ensuite, nor in the office or even the spare bedroom.

Fighting down her mounting panic, she went back downstairs and checked the living room. Pollack meowed lazily from Logan's recliner, curled in a kitty ball of content.

"Mate!"

Wolverine didn't sound as though he were in distress but that didn't stop Marie from running for the front door. She yanked it open, skin humming at attention before her mouth dropped.

Her mate's hands were stained sticky red, claws still out as he grinned at her. At her feet were three dead ducks, a heap of dandelions with roots and all and a pile of wild strawberries. Pollack peeked out from behind her leg, padding outside and sniffing at the birds. She tried for a polite thank you, or perhaps a curious nudge of her foot but neither action came to fruition.

"Got our dinner Marie-Mate. Even brought some leafy shift for you!" He smirked down at their pet. "Like to see this mangy pest do _that._ " Still smiling he looked up at her, head tilting and shoulders drooping a fraction.

"M'rie? We hunted for you." His bushy brows furrowed at her continued silence. "Know it's nothing big but I wasn't going to leave you in the open for too long. I can probably bring down a few deer next time-ungh!" The air went up out of his body as she strode over and hugged him hard, letting out a breath of relief herself.

"Ah thought-ah couldn't find yah and ah thought-" She was certain his feral ears could hear the hammering thud of her heartbeat, the muscle ready to crack through her chest. To her dismay, tears leaked out of her eyes, even while she struggled to steady her emotions.

Concerned, he brought his hand up to her face, shockingly warm and the blood leaving a handprint on her cheek. And had it been anyone else, they might have been terrified, to see how his claws cradled her and the glint of adamantium gleaming among her brunette hair.

"Home. M'home." He muttered. She nodded, still crying and sagged against him, arms around his neck and weeping into his chest, not noticing when the claws when back in. His own hands went around her waist, pressing her to him, their evening meal laying forgotten on the porch around them.

" **We need to set some ground rules," Marie announced, later on, plucking and cleaning the dandelions at the kitchen table.** Two of the ducks were roasting in the oven, the strawberries had been washed and tucked away into the fridge.

Her mate was pacing restlessly, keeping watch at the window as he waited for supper to be ready. Her earlier upset seemed to have left him feeling guilty, he'd insisted on cleaning the birds and pulling out pans, following her directions without dispute. He came to the table now, taking a seat at her side and hand pulling her fingers over to lace through his.

"Rules." He repeated. She nodded back, nibbling on a green.

"Earlier, when ah was crying? And when the shower upset yah the other night. Ah think we have tah figure out a way to avoid instances like those." She sighed. "Or least how to handle the situations that cause them. Ah've got a headache from crying and yah not acting like yourself. Maybe, if we have some ground rules we can get through this together, instead of just reacting after the fact."

His eyes fell down to her fingers, small in his own. Her hands were trembling he realized.

"If you mean telling you what went on… when those bastards had us." His grip got just a little tighter. "S'not happening darlin'."

She sighed softly. "Yah don't have to tell meh everything. And ah won't make yah talk. But ah just thought, if ah had any idea of what went on maybe ah would know what not tah do." She answered earnestly, holding his hand to her heart. He smiled coldly.

"You've got some of our other nightmares already. Aren't they enough for you?" He pulled away, flexed his hand as though her touch burned. Maybe it did. Maybe things were too much right now. Her worry increased.

"Okay, so don't tell meh." She hedged. "But ah don't think it's too much tah ask yah let meh know when yah going out and where yah headed. Ah can do that same."

He nodded slowly."I can do that."

She smiled brightly, glad they were getting somewhere.

"And we won't take any baths, we can take nice gentle showers. Is that okay?" She added. He nodded again, eyes slanting to the window and then back to her.

"You can do something for me, that's how this works ain't it? Give and take?" He murmured. There was a dangerous gleam in his gaze, one that stayed when he looked out the window and then back to her.

"Of course." She didn't hesitate, there was nothing she wouldn't do for him. But he shifted in his chair, the set of his jaw firm and his fingers beginning to drum out a staccato.

"Keep to the den marie-mate. Don't go out in the open."

She smiled, not understanding his unease. "Wolvie, ah just said we would always tell each other where we're going-"

"Don't go anywhere."

She blinked. "What?"

"Keep here in our den." He repeated. "Or your flowers and things by the house. I need to go over our territory, see that all is you can go farther." He decided, nodding to himself. Her worry was returning, he wasn't seriously going to keep her here was he?

"Wolverine, yah still need to check in with Dr. McCoy and ah eventually will need tah go shopping, we don't have half the things we need in the house raght now-"

He shook his head, rising to look out the window, leaning against the wall. "Hunting will fill our bellies, there's plenty to catch. We have water, light and your cleaning things. My healing. We don't need to go anywhere right now."

"But sugah we-"

" _No_ Marie. This is the safest way. You said you would do this for us. For your pack alpha." He growled, hating to have to be firm with his little mate but knowing it was in her best interests. He watched her emotions war across her pretty features, the way her body stiffened and she hugged herself to calm her ire. After another long moment, she nodded.

"For how long?" She finally asked. He thought it over and one shoulder lifted.

"As long as it takes to go over our territory. Once I'm certain there are no threats, then we can talk about this again." He promised. Still hugging her bare arms, she smiled wanly. Her scent was unhappy but there was a new understanding there and he was satisfied.

"Thank you." He leaned over, kissing her deeply and savoring the taste of her, the breathless whisper for him and the way her eyes remained closed, just for a moment after he released her.

"I'll start right now. Get some done while our supper is made." He offered. She smiled, eyes a little brighter. He'd pleased her with the compromise.

"Ah'll call fah yah when it's ready. Listen close fah meh." He rose, accepting another affectionate peck as he headed out the door.

"We always hear you." He smiled at her and carefully closed the door behind him. This time it was Marie who went to the window, watching him run until her eyes could no longer see the small dot fading away in the distance.

Then she went to their bedroom, where her phone was hidden in one of the ensuite's cabinets made especially for her makeup. Logan never went there, he wasn't going to "mess with her face paints."

And she called Victor.


End file.
